Fortran vs Python - Newbie Question

[Alex Martelli]

Cameron Laird <claird at lairds.us> wrote:
   ...
> >If you're just trying to learn and check things out, it might be better
> >to get a more recent Python from python.org (2.5 or 2.4.4) and the
> >various other packages as and when you need them (you can use the
> >MacEnthon list as a guide:-).  You'll need a C compiler to be sure you
> >can install any package from sources -- Apple's XCode includes gcc, it's
> >free, and it's the safest choice (but it's a HUGE download, as it comes
> >with a lot of stuff -- I don't think Apple offers a simple way to
> >install "just" gcc and minimal supporting tools).
> 
> Yes and no.  Alex, while useful scientific computing under Mac OS X
> will almost certainly eventually involve installation of XCode and
> so on, Nomad.C can start to learn Python without a need to install
> ANYTHING.  As you know, Python is already there, and the version that
> comes with 10.4 (2.3.5, as nearly as I can easily tell) is easily 
> adequate to take him through the Tutorial (with minor exceptions).

I disagree: the Python 2.3.5 distributed by Apple as part of MacOSX 10.4
comes _without_ readline -- meaning that an up-arrow at the interactive
interpreter prompt gives Esc-[-A, a left-arrow gives Esc-[-D, etc,
instead of usefully recovering previous lines and allowing easy edit of
the current line.  There is really no reason one should suffer through
that!  python.org's 2.5 DMG (and, if I recall correctly, 2.4.4 as well)
come with a working idle, which is even nicer to use, and at any rate a
working readline, so that one can easily correct minor mistakes made
entering code at the interactive interpreter.

XCode, or other add-ons, may surely come later, but downloading the 2.5
or 2.4.4 DMG from python.org is HIGHLY recommended anyway.


> Also, while I, like you, am aware of no minimal-gcc package from
> Apple, I think third parties make it available.  However, I'm not
> motivated enough at this point to track down the details.  I think
> Nomad.C should start with what he has under 10.4, and plan to move
> on later to all of XCode.

10.4 does come with a version of XCode (on MacOSX's DVD, if not already
on disk in /Applications/Installers) -- though not the latest and
greatest, it's quite likely to be adequate for any learning whatsoever.
The bundled Python is a different issue, and I do _not_ consider it
adequate -- I'd suggest 2.5 instead, though 2.4.4 will be fine too.


Alex